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Sunday, February 26, 2012

I'm a Natural Parent But...I have a Few Confessions

Welcome to the "I'm a Natural Parent — BUT..." CarnivalThis post was written for inclusion in the carnival hosted by The Artful Mama and Natural Parents Network. During this carnival our participants have focused on the many different forms and shapes Natural Parenting can take in our community.
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I am totally passionate about Natural Parenting. But wait, don't get me wrong...I in no way feel that I am better than parents who do not strive by the Natural Parenting principles or any of that higher-than-thou non-sense...nope. Cause no one's perfect and I am still learning every day. I do not want to be a hypocrite. You know why? Because I do stuff that would probably shock some of you! Hahahaha. This carnival is all about 'fessing up. And here are my biggest Natural Parenting confessions...

My kiddos eat sugar {more than I'd like them to, and heck and so do I. I love cookies and ice cream and pie and cheesecake. OMG I'm drooling now}!

When teething pain hits or when the kiddos have a fever, cold or other ailment...I don't really hesitate to give them ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Well, maybe I hesitate for a second. Only until recently (after hearing a very interesting and convincing talk by my Naturopath) have I allowed a fever to run it's course. Or at least until they feel too yucky. But for the most part I definitely medicate.

While we do bedshare with all of our babies, eventually (when they start showing signs of being ready) we transition them to the crib...and we don't look back because it does feel nice to have the bed to ourselves again! But {if you're a regular reader of my blog you'll already know this} we never ever do sleep training!

We use disposables at night with Isaac {ugggg--that first morning toddler poop is no fun! I dare you to try to clean that sh*t up!}. Can't wait for him to be fully off diapers!

Oh and I suppose I say shit and fuck a bit too much--not in front of the kiddos, no, that would be catastrophic cause they would repeat it over and over and over! Usually it's in my head or under my breath if I hurt myself {usually getting burned while cooking} and definitely when I'm around my closest friends. If my kiddos hear me cussing under my breath and ask, "what did you say Mama?" I say "I said Shiiish." So far that's been enough.

Phew. See, I'm not perfect! Hope you don't think any less of me!

I hope the spirit of this carnival brings cohesion, rather than competition. We are all in this parenting thing together. So we can choose to be open-hearted, welcoming of change and supportive of one another...or not.

So now that I've dished...What are the confessions in your closet?
***This carnival was created by The Artful Mama and Natural Parents Network. We recognize that "natural parenting" means different things to different families, and we are dedicated to providing a safe place for all families, regardless of where they are in their parenting journeys.
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

My kid is a technophile — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction hasn't turned in her natural parenting card yet, even though her son prefers electronic toys

Why we aren't rear facing — Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes talks about her decision to turn her one-year-old daughter's carseat around, and how the argument always given for extended rear facing makes her feel.

Minus Ten Crunchy Points — Joella at Fine and Fair discusses how some of her parenting choices seen as "too crunchy" by those she knows in real life could get her kicked out of the crunchy mom clubs online.

The Natural Parent "Model" — Kym at Our Crazy Corner of the World talks about her love for not-so-natural cosmetics and beauty products.

Nice to meet you. — Eileen at Love & Greens talks about how being a natural mama means something different to her every day.

I’m a natural parent…BUT… — Ashley at Daisy Pedals touches on several natural parenting topics; from cloth diapers to cleaning with natural cleaners.

Natural Parenting as a Doorway to Deep Truths — Amy from Peace for Parents guest posts at Natural Parents Network and shares how for her "natural parenting" is much less about a definition and much more an avenue to explore truths of life.

Chicken No-nos — Jessica at Pace Family Place strives to live naturally but feeds her oldest son some not-so natural things

8 comments:

I, for one, wouldn't think less of you even if this list was ten times as long! You're doing a great job, mama. =)

We have a similar philosophy about using medications: use them when you need to! I know if I was having a toothache and I'd tried other options first, I wouldn't hesitate to take a little ibuprofen. So why would I deny my child the same options when it comes to his bodily comfort?

Given the opportunity, kids are much better at regulating their own needs and wants than many adults. My kids haven't learned bad habits by having someone else put limits on items, so while they can regulate their sugar intake, I turn to it in times of stress. I just hope they continue with self-regulation rather than watching my habits.

Love this post Kat. I totally take pride in all my natural parenting choices but 'sposies at night - check, TV in the day - check, saying 'shit' in audible tones so that my son often asks 'what shit Mummy?' - check! Thank goodness for this carnival it's given us all a chance to declare our perceived limitations. Heck, we are all doing our best so if it takes sugary treats and TV to get us through the day then so be it! Onelove

Man, toddler poop is RANK, and massive! I use disposables now as well because cleaning it all up with cloth diapers is the bane of my existence. I was doing in secret for a long while too, pretending to my friends that I had cloth training pants but now I realise that there is no way that I am going to clean up that much poo after being able to just toss it out. This will be our reality until he is potty trained. Admitting this to myself finally is liberating!